Chapter 53: Song of Light and Blood (2)

Clemens and Monica.

Their first meeting was far from beautiful.

Clemens was born as the illegitimate child of an unknown marquis family of the empire.

Accustomed more to hatred than love, he quickly learned how to despise others.

Unable to endure the countless abuses, he eventually escaped and became a common street urchin.

To him, the world was full of hatred, a place where only injustice existed.

Because of this — even as he quietly died from starvation and disease in a back alley, he felt no sorrow.

He simply thought, So this pain is finally over. Now I can rest.

That was all.

“…Are you alright?”

He opened his half-shut eyes and looked up.

There, he saw a radiant-looking female cleric.

“I thought I’d try speaking to you just in case, and you’re still alive. I am Monica, a novice cleric of the Hernesia Order. Are you alright?”

She asked again, but the dirty vagabond simply closed his eyes once more.

He just wanted to rest. Soon, he thought, he would be able to rest forever.

The female cleric forcibly helped him to his feet.

“Please, get up first.”

“What—what are you doing?”

He wanted to shout, but he had no strength left.

He could only glare at her with a irritated gaze.

“If you stay like this, you’ll die. Fortunately, our order is on a pilgrimage route—”

“…Leave me alone.”

His irritation soon faded.

He was just numb—empty and hopeless.

The whole world felt colorless.

Monica knew well the look in the eyes of the vagabond before her.

It was a dead gaze, beyond anger and despair, that of someone who had become numb.

It was exactly the same as the look her mother gave her before hanging herself.

“Are you intending to die?”

“…What do you care?”

“I won’t stop you. Death is also a person’s choice.”

“Still… how about having a meal before you die?”

“What…”

For a moment, their eyes met again.

Monica knew that the blonde vagabond could never refuse her offer.

Because she had been there herself.

“Warm bread and soup… I can offer at least that. How about it?”

“…What’s your real intention?”

“Real intention? What could I possibly gain from you?”

“…Hmph.”

Clemens bitterly reprimanded the instinct he had been trying to deny.

“I’m hungry. Really, unbelievably hungry.”

“…Would a piece of bread before I die really be so bad?”

His restless gaze drifted this way and that, as if wrestling with the thought.

Monica quietly smiled.

“There will be cheese today as well. A merchant gave us some recently.”

Feeling his mouth water, Clemens cast aside his hesitation.

So he briefly accompanied Monica and the pilgrimage group.

Monica cared for Clemens like an older sister, and gradually he began to see the world differently.

And whether by misfortune or fortune, Clemens’ swordsmanship was outstanding.

Thanks to that, he caught the eye of the empire’s knight order, and thus the two parted ways.

Clemens did not go far, but Monica chose that path for his future.

Since the paladins of the Hernesia Order were relatively low in rank.

Therefore, Clemens, who was a Hernesia believer at the time, was sent to the Order of Nikerba.

Religious conversion among the four major religions was surprisingly common and not a big problem.

Four years passed, and as you know, they coincidentally reunited in Niran.

“Goddess, please protect us…”

Monica’s quiet prayer settled low in the courtyard.

Her gaze turned to the two men preparing for the duel before her.

One was the blonde paladin, Clemens.

The other was the red-haired knight, Glenn.

Her worried prayer continued.

***

[Just kill him already.]

Glenn deliberately kept his eyes closed.

If someone met his gaze now, he felt they would sense his emotions.

Whether or not that was true, this irritating fellow still murmured inside his mind.

[You’re actually hoping for this too, aren’t you?]

“…Get lost.”

Riclang’s voice echoed as if responding to the murmur.

[Did I say something wrong? That bastard killed me. Killed you, and me too!]

[Honestly, you don’t even like Clemens. That pathetic hero act is disgusting. Acting all high and mighty alone is ridiculous. Just use the duel as an excuse and kill him!]

“I have nothing to say to you. If you’re done talking, disappear.”

[Now’s a perfect chance. You can crush that weak hero with your own hands.]

Glenn shook his head left and right.

It was as if he was shaking off something.

Then someone approached him.

“Is this really your best?”

Raising his eyelids, he faced a dissatisfied enemy.

It was Isabelle.

“…Didn’t I tell you? You lost by default.”

“No matter how you look at it, the duel was way too sudden.”

“Fine. I can accept that you have your own plan. But she does not.”

She shifted her gaze sideways.

There, Monica was quietly praying on her knees.

Tch.

Watching that figure, Glenn couldn’t help but click his tongue.

“You do have a plan, right? Surely you’re not just trying to kill him honorably?”

The dissatisfaction in the enemy’s eyes grew.

If he said yes here, the backlash would only get worse.

Perhaps it was too impulsive.

In hindsight, it seemed that way.

Could some of what Riclang said really be true?

Glenn sighed bitterly.

“…Tell Monica to prepare for a holy ordination ceremony.”

…Holy ordination? Wait, why now—could it be that you’re thinking…?”

“That is all I have to say now.”

With a creak, he drew his sword.

The sun was already setting.

The time had come.

Glenn gripped his sword and took a step forward.

He met the gaze of the blonde paladin standing before him.

“Are you ready?”

“…Of course.”

Clemens’ pupils were calm.

The glow on him was unusually clear.

A halo of light.

Was this the flame burning in a man who had resigned himself to death?

The rules were—“Are you only going to use your sword, knight? That’s not interesting.”

As a paladin, would he use holy power?

That was the question.

No matter what he answered, Glenn had no intention of sealing his blood magic.

This was not a sparring match.

He would fight using everything he had.

That was the basic stance in a duel.

“…I am still a sword serving Him.”

He would also use holy power.

Good.

Now there would be no objections and things would be clean.

Glenn smiled with satisfaction.

“Fine. Then let’s begin.”

No judgment awaited them.

Once their signals matched, the duel would begin.

The duel between two men beyond life started.

***

Glenn had no intention of unnecessarily prolonging the duel.

So he immediately cast Bloody Pack.

“Kgh.”

His body trembled in fine waves, and his vision reddened.

He barely suppressed the fever rising through his veins.

Clemens did not remain idle either.

“Grant me the power to carry out your will.”

An intermediate holy spell: ‘Steadfast Faith.’

A spell that temporarily strengthens the caster’s body through holy power.

A pure white light wrapped around Clemens.

Thud!

Glenn charged without hesitation.

His tightly controlled leg muscles generated incredible speed.

But Clemens reacted immediately.

He was not in a normal state either.

Ka-ang! Cha-ang!

Glenn’s sword strikes were like a beast’s.

Exchanging sword blows, he steadily closed the distance.

Meanwhile, Clemens chose to create space.

To read the opponent’s intention.

Glenn’s blade showed no aura.

Yet, he parried the faint aura flowing through his own sword.

Watching this, Clemens muttered without realizing it.

“…Parry?”

A low-level technique used by wandering knights.

But this was somewhat different.

It felt like a brutally refined crude parry.

“Hnnn.”

Hearing his mumble, Glenn’s eyes flickered sharply.

It was a technique not easy to grasp at a glance.

Cha-ang!

Their blades clashed once more.

Thinking this was still a probing phase, Clemens remained cautious.

Glenn pushed his sword upward, crossing blades with his opponent’s.

He then struck the raised forearm against Clemens’ face.

Smack!

But Clemens skillfully absorbed the blow through his shoulder.

“Got you.”

A sly smile crept onto Glenn’s lips.

With one hand gripping the sword, Clemens grabbed Glenn’s tusk.

“Counter current.”

As the spell was cast, Clemens’ face flushed red.

Blood rushed to his head.

“Ugh! Goddess!”

He clenched one fist tightly.

A dazzling light flickered around it.

A basic holy spell: ‘Sacred Power.’

Glenn frowned.

The amount of light was not negligible.

Taking that blow with his body would cause damage.

Pah-oom!

Clemens’ punched fist exploded.

“Hah, this is a real monster.”

Glenn barely dodged and muttered.

Even in a state of bodily enhancement, an explosion?

Usually, it was just magic to enhance punches or kicks.

“…Hmm.”

Before his dizziness could subside, Clemens immediately charged forward again.

His movements were also beyond common sense.

Glenn barely chased the blood-red vision.

Left flank—definitely the target.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Glenn instantly reversed his sword grip.

Blocking the blade, he immediately aimed to strike Clemens’ head with the pommel.

But—

Smack!

“Ugh!”

Clemens cleverly did not collide blades.

He took the charge and delivered a headbutt instead.

Instantly, Glenn’s gaze shot skyward.

“Goddess!”

Building momentum, Clemens’ fist began to shine again.

Glenn swung his arm wildly toward the pursuing opponent.

Then, three or four bloody bat-shaped spheres appeared instantly.

Bang!

Clemens swung his fist reflexively at the flying bats.

The exploded blood orbs splashed on one of his arms.

Glenn, regaining his vision, clenched his fist again.

“Blood Burst!”

Boom!

An intermediate blood magic spell that detonates blood within a certain radius.

Glenn, just past the beginner level, could not perfectly control this spell.

Of course, the spell was certainly destructive.

“…Ugh.”

Through the blood haze, Clemens’ arm trembled.

But surprisingly, the trembling gradually subsided.

Because he immediately cast Heal after the burst.

“Come here.”

Unable to watch Clemens’ condition, Glenn charged again.

Clemens reacted instantly.

Cha-ang! Smack!

The back-and-forth attack resumed.

Their fight resembled two beasts tearing into each other.

Not only blades, but also fists and kicks, and even headbutts were wielded without hesitation.

In short—they used all means and methods.

After rolling on the ground several times, their battle grew even fiercer.

“Hah…hah. For a paladin, he fights pretty fiercely.”

“Hoo…hoo. I’m the one who should be saying that.”

Not long after, they both were covered in wounds.

Several times, Monica tried to intervene, but the four stopped her.

Catching his breath, Glenn calmly faced Clemens.

“It’s time to finish.”

He raised one hand above his head.

At the same time, gritting his teeth, he steeled himself.

Click.

Gripping his fist, he drew all the blood energy from his body.

“Overdrive.”

A risky spell that temporarily raises the level of blood magic.

Extremely difficult to control at his current skill level.

Especially now, after casting Bloody Pack.

“Krh, hyaah—.”

Glenn’s eyes were now completely bloodshot.

He consecutively cast higher-level blood magic spells.

“Blood King’s Sword.”

The red blood energy leaking from his body began to envelop the blade.

It gradually formed into a massive greatsword shape.

Big enough to cut through four or five people in one swing.

Its surface dripped sticky blood that exuded flames.

Steam seemed to rise from it—reminding one of a living creature.

…A wise monster.

Feeling the ominous atmosphere, Clemens also prepared a high-level holy spell.

After a short prayer, he stretched his sword out long.

“Worship it!”

A faint light began to wrap around his sword.

“Unwavering Radiance.”

A high-level spell that strengthens a paladin’s weapon with holy power up to three times.

It does not activate by holy power alone but requires some ability to control aura.

“Praise it!”

The light surrounding the sword grew stronger.

“Behold it!”

The light completely enveloped the blade, extending its length.

From a distance, it looked like holding a cluster of light itself.

It resembled a legendary warrior.

In contrast, the ominous figure of Glenn resembled a demon king.

Thus, their standoff was quite intense at first glance.

“…Are you confident?”

“By the will of the Goddess.”

Heh.

The habit of calling upon the goddess remained unchanged from his past life to now.

Shaking off the brief distraction, Glenn charged like a beast.

The red monster and the pure white light clashed.

Throoooom!

The massive explosion and shockwave echoed, shaking the surroundings.